NAWJ RESPONDS TO PROPOSED ABA JUDICIAL CODE PROVISIONS

NAWJ recently filed final comments with respect to the proposed language contained in the 2005 Final Draft Report of the ABA Joint Commission to Evaluate the Model Code of Judicial Conduct (http://www.abanet.org/judicialethics/finaldraftreport.html), Proposed Rule 4.04(b)(3) and proposed Comment 8 to that Rule, which we believe will have a chilling effect on the ability of judges to attend, participate in or accept offers to speak at events of minority, women's and other specialty bar associations and charitable organizations, even where other ethical code prohibitions (such as fundraising) do not come into play. Read comments here.